The Mughal era, that of an empire filled with incredible wealth and prosperity. Generous patron of the arts, through its influence a huge and diverse culture sprang forth, the product of Indo-Islamic relations throughout the kingdom this culture remains the Mughals legacy. To this day the unique influence of the Mughals on North Indian culture remains present in every aspect of life, from religion, dance, music, art to science and the practices of everyday life.
The Mughals took what was ‘Indian’, developed by the Delhi Sultanate and surrounding Hindu kingdoms that were consolidated into the Mughal Empire throughout its reign, and made it their own, creating whole new areas of study and development in the kingdom. One of the most majestic and famous results of this is the Taj Mahal, recognised by people all throughout the world as a true product of the Mughal Dynasty and proof of the Mughals wealth and ingenuity, combining traditional Indian and Persian architecture and as a result creating something so beautiful it is considered one of the world’s greatest wonders.
Another example equally as potent and yet sadly overlooked by many particularly those outside India is that of Kathak. A classical Indian dance, today held in great esteem among the 6 great classical dances of India, 21st century Kathak combines incredibly complex technique and elegant, slow abhinaya (or story telling) and owes almost the entirety of its current day form to the Mughals. The transformation that Kathak underwent from its original form to how we see it today that occurred during Mughal Era is perhaps the most underestimated and truest remaining symbol of the vibrant Indo-Islamic cultural melding that occurred under the patronage of the Mughals, and to...
... middle of paper ...
...athak.org/site/kathak/section.php?id=4176 http://www.akramkhancompany.net/html/akram_essay.php?id=8 http://books.google.co.in/books?id=ZAbMS6ynGJ8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=kathak,+indian+classical+dance+art&hl=en&sa=X&ei=g414UvyBJoOJrQeSuoGgBw&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false
http://www.economist.com/node/17723207 http://www.zoroastrian.org.uk/vohuman/images/Shah%20Abbas%20Image%201.jpg http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/451394?rpp=20&pg=1&rndkey=20131120&ao=on&ft=*&when=A.D.+1400-1600&where=Shiraz&pos=15 http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O9302/akbar-painting-kesav-kalan/ https://archive.org/details/baburnamainengli01babuuoft http://vidhia.com/Historical%20and%20Political/Jahangirnama_(English)_-_Translated_by_Major_David_Price.pdf http://cs.nga.gov.au/Detail.cfm?IRN=157063
http://indianminiaturepaintings.blogspot.in/2011/08/dancing.html
Considering descendants’ effort to bring this culture back in society, this entire dancing performance, masks, and the idea of interacting with the outside world must not have been merely correlated to their religious and spiritual ritual. It might have been their identity; a symbolic of their society which their ancestors had built and passed down to them.
Islam’s present day relevance is due to it being one of the world’s most talked about religions. It is also one of the largest religions in the world. Islam has followers in all areas of the globe. (Zissis, 2007) Islam first began spreading in 610 CE and has not stopped. Today, India’s population includes approximately 150 million Muslims and Islam has contributed greatly to the area and its people. (Kennedy, 2007) The spread of Islam is vast and instead of focusing on the entire realm of Islam’s range, I will put an emphasis on the Mughal Dynasty and it’s impact on the spread of Islam.
Every dance that is created by a choreographer has a meaning and or purpose behind it. The dance choreographed could be used to send a political, emotional, or a social message. Regardless of the message being sent, each dance created possesses a unique cultural and human significance. This essay will examine and analyze two dance works from history and give an insight into what each dance work provided to the society of its time.
The Mauryan Empire was a very intriguing empire, with rulers of different beliefs and ways of ruling, as well as antithetical ways that the rulers gained and maintained their power. Important events occurred during this period of time that affected future generations. The Empire’s people mainly had a Buddhist religion. The people of the Mauryan Empire contributed greatly to the fields of art, and architecture. The Mauryan Empire was very important to India’s way of life.
Secondly, the art of India fascinated me a lot especially the 13th Century art of “S...
Bollywood film has opened the gates to Bollywood dance, creating a popular style that spread throughout the world. This style would not have been able to spread so quickly if it not had been for the familiar themes and culture found in the genre. Because of this diverse make-up, Bollywood dance is being questioned, for it cannot be seen as traditional Indian dance if it is made up of so many different cultures and styles. Due to the creation from a wide assortment of cultures and practices, Bollywood dance has been the subject of a controversy focusing on its authenticity. Although it is not pure Indian movements, it has become the face of Indian dance due to accessibility and familiarity.
The. Marcoux, Erica. The Globalization of Bollywood Dance. Interrogating Dance Globalization. N.p., 21July2013. Web.
When walking around a city, you may notice that the architecture and art look similar to other works. Many of these designs have changed along the course of history and time whilst others have not. The designs that many people still see in society and day to day living is from two of the many cultures of the old civilizations, Roman and Islamic. The art and architecture forms from the Islamic and Roman cultures have many comparisons and contrasts between them. They, the Islamic and Roman nations, have both adopted from other cultures and have made their own discoveries in the art and architecture worlds. The Roman and Islamic architecture and art vary drastically from each other and yet have varying comparisons between the two.
Streusand, Douglas E. Islamic Gunpowder Empires Ottomans, Safavids, and Mughals. Boulder, Colo: Westveiw Press, 2011.
Pandey, T. N., 2014. Lecture 1/9/14: Culture of India: Aryan and Indigenous Population. Cultures of India. U.C. Santa Cruz.
For me, our traditional Indian artists were craftsmen rather than artists. But that is not to say that I consider them to be inferior in talent in any way; ...
One of the world’s greatest love stories produced a timeless monument. The structure’s sheer beauty inspired poetic words from the builder himself. The monument is an engineering marvel that has been studied by scholars and historians alike. Visitors throughout history have been infatuated by the shrine’s elegance. Count Hermann Keyserling describes the monument as, "A massive marble structure, without weight, as if formed of ether, perfectly rational and at the same time entirely decorative (Taj Mahal, 2008).Keyserling went on to say, “It is perhaps the greatest art work which the forming spirit of mankind has ever brought forth (Taj Mahal, 2008)." An American novelist, Bayard Taylor referred to this structure as a castle in the air (Taj Mahal, 2008). Constructed as a tomb for the emperor’s deceased wife, the Taj Mahal stands as one of the greatest manmade creations in the history of the world.
of Bengal. This gave the foreigners effective control of administration. The Marathas, the Sikhs and ...
and not just at the Rajputs, who became one of the pillars of the empire.
Taj Mahal. ( Mahal is the word in urdu language used for Palace) How can I describe The Taj Mahal? You can’t its impossible. You just have to experience it. To gaze in wonder at that magnificent dome and elegant gardens will be a moment that you remember for the rest of your life. It is one of the greatest sights in the world, some say the greatest, and like Victoria Falls, The Grand Canyon, and Macchu Picchu, it simply is one of those things you have to see in your life. The architectural grace and symmetry of the Taj Mahal just takes your breath away. We had chosen our visit carefully--the sun was setting and the light that washed over the Taj was golden in color. The minarets were now stark against the setting sun . The actual dome was a surprise, it is not yellow-white but blue-white and covered in inscriptions and detail. From below it looked like something out of "Arabian Nights." But inside were the tombs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan. The central tomb is a lofty chamber with light streaming through fine latticework, and hanging above was an elaborate lamp. Words cannot describe its beauty when you stand on that marble platform overlooking the Yamuna, with the setting sun turning it into a golden ribbon. You may a...